Periodic valve mechanism



Oct. 31, 1944. T KNAPP 236L773 PERIODIC VALVE MECHANISM Original FiledJan. 10, 1939 3 /NVNTOE P055 97- 7? KNAPP Y 54 HA PAWS, K/zch; Fos To?Hn PIP/6 @MFAQQZ FOR rm: nem

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Patented Oct. 31, 1944 PERIODIC VALVE MECHANISM Robert T. Knapp, LosAngeles County, Calif., assignor of one-fourth to Sara E. Rick andonefourth to Forest 0. Rick, both of Los Angeles,

Calif.

Original application January 10, 1939, Serial No. 250,143, now PatentNo. 2,284,908, dated June 2, 1942. Divided and this application April 3,1942, Serial No. 437,603

16 Claims.

4 This invention relates to a periodic valve mechanism for controllingthe flow of fluid.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 250,143,filed January 10, 1939, for a Deep well pumping mechanism, which issuedas Patent No. 2,284,908, on June 2, 1942.

One object of the invention is to provide a periodic fluid valveactuated by the pressure of the stream of fluid controlled by the valve,having a control mechanism of such a character that the operative cycleof the valve shall have a chronological pattern which is self-determinedand unaffected by any external agency or factor other than the effectivepressure of the fluid stream upon the valve mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a periodic fluid valvemechanism having a selfdetermined time cycle in which a valve shall bedisposed in one operative position for a period of time which issubstantially briefer than that during which it shall be disposed inanother operative position.

Considering the periods of time in which the valve is disposed indifferent operative positions as phases of a complete time cycle of theperiodic valve mechanism, it is another object of this invention toprovide means for varying the time ratio between the phases of thecycle.

It is still another object of theinvention to provide in a periodicvalvemecham'sm means for varying the duration of the complete cycle forany given fluid pressure effective at the valve mechanism.

It is another object of the invention to provide a periodic valvemechanism which for any given effective pressure and any given set ofits adjusting devices shall operate with a cycle of constant durationand of constant phase pattern,

It is also an object of this invention to provide in a mechanism of thecharacter described such structural arrangement of parts adapted toaccomplish the objects above set forth, that the mechanism will beinexpensive, compact, readily assembled, sturdy, unfailing in operation,and of such a character as to require a minimum of attention, repair,adjustment, and replacement of parts.

Other objects will be apparent from the reading of the followingdescription and drawing.

In the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. l is a central longitudinal sectional view of a periodic fluidvalve mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 takenalong the line 2-2 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary central, longitudinal sectional view showing anadditional receiving conduit and connection therefor.

The housing of the valve mechanism consists of an upper cylindricalblock 8, a central cylindrical block 9, a lower cylindrical block ii],an upper section of tubing ll threaded to and connecting the blocks 8and 9, and a lower section of .tubing l2 threaded to and connecting theblocks 9 and I9. These sections define, between the blocks which theyconnect, an upper chamber 13 and a lower chamber 14.

A fluid supply conduit 4 adapted to carry fluid under pressure issecured to the central block 9 in communication with a radial port [5,and a receiving conduit 6 for conveying gas from the valve mechanism issecured to the central block in communication with a radial port 16.These ports l5 and i6 communicate at points near the longitudinal centerof the block 9 with an axially disposed longitudinal bore 11 whichextends from end to end of the central block 9. A port 18 of L-shapedconfiguration communicates with the axial bore H at 2iland leadstherefrom to the chamber M. A passage 19 connects the port IS with thechamber l3. Two radially disposed exhaust or vent passages 2| and 22connect the axial bore ll with the outside of the housing. Two ballcages 23 and 24 are suitably mounted in cylindrical recesses in theupper and lower walls, respectively, of the central block 9 in axialalignment with the bore H, and house respectively two valve balls 25 and26 which have coacting relationship with two valve seats 21 and 28respectively formed at the opposite ends of the bore ll. These valveballs control the passage of gas from the chambers 13 and I4 to theexhaust passages 2| and 22, which, when the corresponding valve ball isin the open position, takes place through a plurality of parallel,longitudinally arranged ports 29 and 3B in the cages 23 and 24respectively, then through disc-shaped chambers 15! and 32 respectivelydefined between the cages and the inner walls of the recessesin whichthe cages are mounted, and thence by the valve seats 21 and 28 to theexhaust passages 21 and 22. The chambers 3! and 32 and ports 29 and alsoserve to connect the passages l9 and 8 with the chambers I3 and Mrespectively at all times. i

A piston slide valve 33 is mounted in the bore H and consists of twopiston portions 34 and 35 which snugly fit the bore, a central cut-awayportion 36, and two reduced end portions or pins 37 and 38 adapted toengage and dislodge from their seats the valve balls 25 and 26. Theover-all length of this piston valve is such that when one valve ball isseated, the other is held near the outer portion of its cage. Thedisposition of the piston portions 34 and 35 and the intermediatecut-away portion 36 is such that when the ball 26 is seated, gas canpass from the port to the passage l8, and when the ball 25 is seated,gas can pass from the port |5 to the port I6.

The upper block 8 has a downwardly extending hollow cylindrical boss 39in which is slidably mounted a plunger 49. A bellows 4| of fluidproofmaterial is mounted concentrically about the boss 39, being secured influid-tight manner between an annular flange 42 of the plunger 49 andthe lower wall of the block 8. Small ports 43 in the base of the boss 39connect the interior of the boss .with the interior of the bellows 4|. Acoiled compression spring 44 seated in a cylindrical recess in the lowerend of the plunger 49 presses downwardly upon a. disc 45 which islimited in its downward movement by a recess cap 46. Rigidly secured tothe disc 45 is a pin 41 slidably mounted in the cap 46'and which isadapted to engage the ball 25 and impart thereto a movementlongitudinally of the valve mechanism.

At the other end of the housing the block I9 is formed with an upwardlyextending, axial, cylindrical projection 48 which fits within and hasslidable engagement with a cylindrical recess 52 in the lower end of aplunger 49. A bellows 59 similar to the bellows 4| is secured between anannular flange 5| on the plunger 49 and the upper wall of the block I6.Radial ports 53 connect an axial bore 54 in the projection 48 and in theblock I6 with the interior of the bellows 56.

A compression spring 55 is mounted in an axially disposed cylindricalrecess in the upper end of th plunger 49 and presses upwardly against adisc 56. A pin 5! rigidly secured to this disc slides within recess cap58 which limits the upward movement of the disc and pin. The pin. isadapted to engage the ball 26 and impart a movement theretolongitudinally of the housing. A coiled compression spring 59, which isseated between a ring 69 threaded on the plunger 49 and a ring 6|slidably fitted within the tubular section I2 and held against movementtherein by an inwardly projecting annular flange 6|a thereof, acts tourge the plunger upwardly at all times. Ports 62 serve to provide fluidcommunication between the portions of the chamber |4 above and below thering 6|.

A conduit pipe 63 connects the bore 54 in the lower block with a similaraxially disposed bore 64 in the upper block which extends from the upperend of the block 8' to the interior of the boss 39. A slightly taperedconstricted section 65 of this bore 64 afiords a seat for a needle valve66. This needle valve is free to reciprocate within the bore section 65.Its reciprocatory movement is limited in one direction by engagement ofits head 66a with the lower end of a hollow cylinder 61, the lowerportion of which is longitudinally split at 67a, and the upper end ofwhich has threaded engagement with an upper enlarged portion 63 of thebore 64. The cylinder can thus be longitudinally adjusted upon itsthreads within the bore portion 69. Its movement in the other directionis similarly limited by the lower end of a pin 69a integrally formedwith an adjustable stop nut 69 which is threadedly mounted within thecylinder 61. A light coiled spring 690. interposed between the nut 69and the needle valve head 66a applies a slight downward pressure to theneedle valve atall times. A threaded plug '16 closes the upper end ofthe bore 68, and upon its removal a suitable tool can be inserted withinthe bore for manipulating the adjusting cylinder 61 and the adjustingnut 69.

The valve mechanism operates in the following manner. The conduit 63,bores 54 and 64, the interior chamber of the boss 99, the recess 52, andthe interior of the two bellows are filled with oil of a type suitablefor hydraulic work.

The spring 59 holds the piston valve 33 in its uppermost position whenthe valve mechanism is idle, and operation of the valve mechanism beginswith the valve in this position. The spring prevents the valve 33standing in a midway dead center position when there is no fluidpressure in the supply conduit 4. When compressed gas is suppliedthrough the conduit 4, it finds its way through the port l5 and passageHi to the chamber I4 in which it builds up pneumatic pressure sufiicientto urge downwardly the plunger 49 against the spring 59. The bellows isshortened, and the oil within it and within the recess 52 is movedthrough the bore 54 and the conduit 63 to the bore 64. Here it flowsdownwardly through the constricted passage 65. The needle 66 is at thisjuncture'at its lowermost position with its head 66a. resting upon thelower end of the adjustable cylinder 61, where it is held by the spring68a. In this position the needle does not quite fill the passage 65, andoil can slowly flow into the interior of the boss 39 and the bellows 4|.The plunger 40 moves slowly downward,

and after a definite time interval, which, for any given value of thefluid pressure in conduit 4, is obviously determined by the position inwhich the needle 66 is held by the lower end of the adjustable cylinder61, the pin 41 contacts the ball 25, which at first resists the pressureexerted upon it by the pin because of upwardly acting gas pressure uponthe ball 26. As a result, the spring 44 is compressed. When a tip 46a ofthe cap 46 comes in contact with the ball 25, the seating of the ball 26is broken, and then the spring 44, through the pin 47, causes the pistonvalve 33 to snap to its lower position, in which the ball 25 is seated.This spring 44 and the corresponding spring 55 prevent the valve 33stopping during its reciprocations at a midway dead center position.Until the piston valve is snapped from its upper to its lower position,the gas in the chamber l3 and in the conduit 6 is free to flow throughthe ports 29 and passage l9, respectively, to the chamber 3|, the boreI1, and the exhaust passage 2 and thence outside the housing.

After the piston valve has been snapped to its lower position, theescape ofgas in the chamber I3 is cut ofi at the valve seat 21. Thepiston section 34 closes the passage I8, and the section 35 uncovers theport I6, allowing gas to flow from the conduit 4 to the conduit 6through which it is conducted for any desired functional disposition.The passage I9, which communicates with the port I6, conducts gas to thechamber l3, compressing the bellows 4| and reversing the movement of theoil through the pipe 63. The needle 66 is moved upwardly by hydraulicfriction with and the pressure difierential of the oil until its headcontacts the pin 69a of the adjustable stop nut 69, which obviouslypermits the oil to flow to the lower end of the housing more rapidlythan it flowed to the upper end of the housing. When the oil flows backto the lower end of the valve mechanism and to the interior of thebellows the plunger 49 is raised, eventually snapping the piston valve33 to its upper position, whereupon the cycle is repeated.

There is thus provided a time cycle of which the phase, during which thereceiving conduit is supplied with fluid under pressure, is of brieferduration than the phase during which the receiving conduit is notso'supplied or is being vented. Such a time cycle is adapted for certainuses of the periodic valve mechanism. Other uses may require a timecycle of equal phases or one in which the phases as respects theirrelative duration, are reversed from the sequence above described. Thevalve mechanism of this invention may by ad- J'ustment or a reversal ofconnections be caused to provide such other time cycles.

Thus by reversing the connections of the housing to the conduits 4 and5, the phase pattern can be reversed as to relative length of thephases. Movement of the cylinder 61 will change to any desired value theduration of the time cycle as a whole. Turning the stop nut 69 willchange the time ratio of the two phases of the cycle. Turning the stopnut to its lowermost position will establish-this ratio at unity toequalize the duration of the two phases.

It will be observed that the spring 59, while its primary function is toprevent the piston valve 35 stopping on dead center, also tends toassist the hydraulic fluid entering the recess 52 and bellows 50 inmoving the plunger 49 upwardly, thereby shortening the correspondingphase of the cycle of operation of the valve mechanism. Consequently,for certain uses of the valve mechanism requiring cycle phases of equallength it may be necessary to reverse the connections of the conduits 4and B to the housing and compensate for the effect of the spring 59 byspacing the pin 69a a slight distance from the needle valve 66.

It will further be observed that the bellows M and 50 increase thevolume of oil which must move through the conduit 63 per unit distanceof movement of the plungers 40 and 49, serving to increase the durationof the cycle as a whole, steadying its performance, and decreasing theeffect on the cycle of changes in the adjusting devices therebyrendering the mechanism capable of closer adjustment.

For some uses of the valve mechanism, it may be necessary during eachcycle to discharge fluid from the supply conduit alternately to tworeceiving conduits. An additional receiving conduit '13 is shown inFigure 3 connected by a port M to the passage Hi. When such anadditional receiving conduit is not used, the port '14 is closed with aplug 15.

One embodiment of the invention has been shown in the drawing anddescribed herein. The invention is not limited to this or any otherspecific embodiment but has the scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A periodic valve mechanism, comprising: a reciprocating piston valve;two plungers at opposite ends of said valve adapted to move it inopposite directions; two fluid chambers for applying fluid pressure tomove said plungers respectively in a direction toward said valve toengage and move said valve; two fluid chambers for moving said plungersrespectively in a direction away from said valve to disengage them fromsaid valve; a closed circuit connection between the two of said fluidchambers for moving said plungers toward said valve; adjustablethrottling means in said closed circuit connection; a source of fluidunder pressure; means controlled by said piston valve for alternatelyconnecting said source to the fluid chambers for moving said plungersaway from said valve; exhaust ports and valves for said last mentionedchambers also controlled by said piston valve; a receiving conduit; andmeans controlled by said piston valve for connecting and disconnectingsaid source of fluid under pressure with said receiving conduit.

2. In a fluid valve mechanism, the combination of a supply conduitadapted to carry fluid under pressure; a receiving conduit having aconnection with said supply conduit; a two position valve in saidconnection adapted in a first position to close said connection and in asecond position to open said connection; a first fluid operated meansfor moving said valve from first to second position; a second fluidoperated means for moving said valve' from second to first position,each of said means being movable from a retracted to a valve-engagingposition and vice versa; a closed fluid-filled circuit connecting saidfirst and second fluid operated means whereby a retractive movement ofeither one of said means causes an operative movement of the other ofsaid means; a first conduit means connecting said supply conduit toapply fluid pressure to retractively move said first fluid operatedmeans only when said valve is in open position; and a second conduitmeans connecting said supply conduit to apply fluid pressure toretractively move said second fluid operated means only when said valveis in closed position.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 and in addition thereto athrottling means in said closed fluid circuit.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 and in addition thereto athrottling means in said closed fluid circuit, said throttling meanshaving a greater throttling effect when the fluid is flowing in onedirection in said closed circuit than when the fluid is flowing in theother direction therein.

5. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid, and in addition thereto a needle valve in saidclosed circuit; and means for adjusting said needle valve to vary thethrottling effect thereof.

6. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid, and in addition thereto a needle valve in saidclosed circuit, said needle valve being movable by fluid flow between astop limiting the forward movement of said needle and a stop limitingthe retractive movement thereof.

7. The combination defined in claim2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid, and in addition thereto a needle valve in saidcircuit, said needle valve being movable by fluid flow between a stoplimiting forward movement of said needle and a stop limiting retractivemovement thereof, each of said stops being adjustable to vary thecorresponding limit of movement of said needle.

8. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid, and in addition thereto: a needle valve in saidclosed circuit, said needle valve being movable by fluid flow between astop limiting the forward movement of said needle and a stop limitin theretractive movement thereof; and resiliently acting means effective tohold said needle in its forward position only when fluid is flowingtoward the point of said needle.

9. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid. and each of said fluid operated means comprises anassembly of a hydraulic cylinder member and a piston member, saidassembly being hydraulically connected to said closed circuit and one ofsaid members being movable to engage and change the position of saidvalve.

10. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid and each of said fluid operated means comprises anassembly of a hydraulic cylinder member 11. The combination defined inclaim 2 and in addition thereto: a resiliently acting means for holdingone of said fluid operated means in operative position to hold saidvalve in one of its two positions only when there is no fluid pressurein said conduit.

12. The combination defined in claim 2 and in addition thereto: aresiliently acting means for holding said second fluid operated means inoperativeposition to hold said valve in its closed position only whenthere is no fluid pressure in said conduit.

13. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the fluid in said closedcircuit is a liquid and each of said fluid operated means comprises anassembly of a hydraulic cylinder member and a piston member, saidassembly being hydraulically connected to said closed circuit, one ofsaid members being movable to engage and change the position of saidvalve, and in addition thereto: fluid passages connected to said conduitwhen said valve is in closed position to apply fluid under pressure tohold said valve in closed position; means operable by said valve whenmoved from closed position for disconnecting said passages and ventingsaid fluid under pressure; fluid passages connecting saidconduit whensaid valve is in open position to apply fluid under pressure to holdsaid valve in open position; means operable by said valve when movedfrom open position for disconnecting said lastmentioned passages andventing said fluid under pressure; a resiliently projectable plunger onthe operative end of each of said movable members adapted upon anoutward movementof said member to engage said valve with sufiicientforce to move said. valve only when said valve is not held in positionby said fluid pressure; and means on each of said movable memberspositioned to nonresiliently engage said valve subsequently to themoment of engagement of said valve by said plunger and to positivelymove said valve from position. i I

14. In a fluid valve mechanism, the combination of: a supply conduitadapted to carry fluid under pressure; a receiving conduit; a firsthousing having walls defining an elongated bore disposed longitudinallyof said housing and having a first ball valve seat at afirst end ofsaidhousing and. a second ball valve seat at the other and second end ofsaid housing, said walls further defining two ports connecting said borewith said conduits respectively, and said walls further defining a firstpassage connecting said bore with the first end of said housing and asecond passage connecting said bore with the second end of said housingand a third passage and a fourth passage connected to vent said bore; afirst valve ball and ball cage therefor and a second valve ball and ballcage therefor, each ball and cage being mounted in operativerelationship with the correspondingly identified one of said valve boreseats; a piston valve in said bore slightly longer than said bore andadapted to project at one end a relatively short distance from one endof said bore and to be at its other end in transverse registry with theother end of said bore; other housing members forming at the ends ofsaid first housing member a first and a second fluid chamberrespectively in communication with said bore; hydraulic cylinder andpiston means mounted in each of said chambers coaxially with said borefor engaging and moving a corresponding one of said balls toward itsseat; conduit means connecting said cylinders to form a closed circuitwhereby contraction of one cylinder chamber efiects enlargement of theother cylinder chamber; a resiliently projectable plunger on theball-engaging ends of the movable element of each of said cylinder andpiston means adapted upon an operative movement of said movableelementto contact the corresponding ball in advance of said ballengaging endand move said ball against the adjacentend of said piston valve, saidpiston, valve, bore, ports, and passages being formed, when said secondball is seated and said first ball is held unseated by the adjacent endof the piston valve, to establish fluid connections between said supplyconduit and second chamber through said bore and said second passage, toestablish fluid connections between said first chamber and said thirdpassage through said first valve seat and the adjacent end portion ofsaid bore, and when said first ball is seated and said second ball isheld unseated by the adjacent end of the piston valve to establish fiuidconnections between said supply conduit and said discharge conduitthrough said bore, to establish fluid connections between said supplyconduit and said first chamber through said bore and first passage, andto establish fluid connections between said second chambe and saidfourth passage through said second valve seat and the adjacent endportion of said bore, each resiliently projected plunger havingsuflicient resiliently applied force to move said piston valve only whensaid valve is not held in position by fluid pressure originating in saidsupply conduit and communicated to and applied to the ball seated at theother end of said valve.

15. The combination defined in claim 14 and in addition thereto a secondreceiving conduit; a port connecting said second receiving conduit withsaid bore arranged to connect said second receiving conduit with saidsupply pipe when said second ball is seated and said first ball is heldunseated by the adjacent end of the piston valve.

The combination defined in claim 1 and in addition thereto meanscontrolled by said piston valve for venting said receiving conduit onlywhen said receiving conduit is disconnected from said source of fluidunder'pressure by the operation of said piston valve. I

ROBERT T. KNAPP.

